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Protecting the Eastern Bristlebird in our Northern Corridor

Media release by NCLLS

North Coast Local Land Services is working with WetlandCare Australia to deliver an exciting three-year project that will protect and enhance threatened species such as the Eastern Bristlebird, restore vegetation corridors and encourage local landholders to protect wildlife corridors and native vegetation remnants.

Supported by North Coast Local Land Services through funding from the National Landcare Programme and Catchment Action NSW, the Northern Corridor Connections project builds on successful works undertaken in 2014.

The project will deliver on ground works and build on landholder capacity in the Tweed and Ballina target areas. Properties adjoining the Border Ranges World Heritage Area have also become a key target for the project.

John Nagle, Senior Land Services Officer said, “The Border Ranges World Heritage area is part of the Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves (Australia) which recognises the rich biodiversity and outstanding diverse vegetation in the area.

Targeted Landcare 2014

Northern Landcare Support Services in partnership with Tweed Landcare Inc, Brunswick Valley Inc and Richmond Landcare Inc. are delivering a Targeted Landcare Program funded by North Coast Local Land Services. The program is working on seven small projects across the Northern Socio-Ecological Landscape addressing key areas of the Northern Rivers Catchment Action Plan 2013-23 and the North Coast Local Land Services Strategic Plan for 2014, including sustainable and productive agriculture and healthy, productive and resilient natural systems and enhancing community capacity to manage agricultural and natural systems using best practice.

Projects include trialling cover crops and ground covers on six horticultural properties, removing Bitou Bush from the cliffs in the Dirawong Reserve and Evans Head Coastal Reserve, protecting Skinners Reserve by controlling environmental and Weeds of National Significance and riparian restoration works including weed control and planting at Teven and Ocean Shores.

Tara Patel from Northern Landcare Support Services said “it is great to see North Coast Local Land Services supporting these small Landcare focussed projects and hopefully this will continue to happen in the coming years”. Keep an eye out for field days and case studies related to this project in our newsletter. For more information contact Tara on 66323722 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Protecting / enhancing threatened species habitat, including the Endangered North Coast Emu Population in Bungawalbin

OBJECTIVE

To improve significant habitat for numerous rare and threatened species including the Endangered Population of the North Coast Emu. This project aimed to reduce threats by removing weeds, reducing bush fire risk and increasing the communities knowledge about feral animals and weeds.

WHAT WAS THE ISSUE?

Bungawalbin supports significant habitat for numerous rare and threatened species including the Endangered Population of North Coast Emu. These populations are under threat by inappropriate fire regimes, Weeds of National Significance such as Lantana, Bell Miner Associated Dieback (BMAD) and feral animal predation.

WHAT DID THE PROJECT INVOLVE?

Restoration works on 5 properties to improve habitat for local threatened species. Bush regenerators undertook targeted and strategic environmental weed control, removing infestations of Cat’s Claw Creeper, Lantana (WONS), and other environmental weeds such as Corky Passion vine. Fire trails have been cleared and enhanced to reduce the risk of wildfire as well as to undertake hazard reduction burns where appropriate. Fencing has been removed from one property to allow the existing Emu population to move across the landscape to access food and mates.

Landholders where given the opportunity to learn more about the local weeds and the tools and techniques to control them as well as about feral animals in the area and the best methods for controlling them.

WHAT WERE THE OUTCOMES?

· Weeds removed in 70ha of native vegetation improving habitat for the endangered North Coast emu population and other threatened species such as the Bush Stone Curlew

· The risk of high intensity wild fire has been reduced on nearly 100ha of native vegetation.

· 4 land managers accredited in the use of 1080 baits to manage wild dog and fox populations.

· 10 local landholders trained in Weed Identification and Control techniques.

EVERY ROSE HAS ITS THORNS

Roseberry Creek Landholders are set to improve Threatened Species Habitat by targeting some prickly environmental weeds in a new $116, 500 project funded by North Coast Local Land Services and delivered in partnership with Northern Landcare Support Services (NLSS) and the landholders.

Removing weeds like lantana and cats claw is a prickly, but necessary business as removing these and other weeds, along with fencing and tree planting, will improve the condition of habitat and enhance the value of corridor connections between World Heritage listed Gondwana Rainforest and the riparian corridor. The Roseberry Creek sub-catchment contains threatened species such as Giant Barred Frogs, Koalas, Brush-tailed Phascogales, Barking Owls, Powerful Owls and Wompoo Pigeons. It was also the place of the last sightings of endangered Coxen’s Fig Parrots. The project will increase habitat by partnering with local schools and the Roseberry Creek Landcare group to plant over 4500 trees.

“It is a great to see that the planning efforts by NLSS and Roseberry Creek Landholders have paid off. It is an opportunity to contribute to improving habitat for threatened species, address local creek bank erosion, grazing pressures on aquatic ecosystems, and remove some of the myriad of environmental of weeds including Weeds of National Significance such as Lantana and Madeira Vine” said Roseberry Creek resident and local Landcare member Ann Hartigan. “It is also great to see this money being spent in our local shops and using local services”.

This project was funded by

Best Management Practices of Carbon Management on Northern Rivers farms

This project is supported by funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry as part of its Carbon Farming Futures - Action on the Ground program